A doctor has issued a warning to anyone who regularly suffers from heartburn.
Dr Sermd Mezher, a London-based GP, says suffering with “just a bit of heartburn” could lead onto something much more serious in the future if it is ignored time after time.
In a video on TikTok, he explained: “Our stomach is made to handle acid and there’s a sphincter that stops it from going back into the food pipe – but sometimes it doesn’t work.
“Around a third of people experience this and we call it heartburn.”
He added: “We know that smoking, drinking alcohol and eating food late at night can all make the symptoms of heartburn worse.
“But, there is actually a bacteria which is responsible here as well [called H Pylori] which is very easy to eradicate and can be tested for.
“The reason we shouldn’t ignore this is because the food pipe isn’t made to handle this stomach acid.”
He continued: “When it gets repetitively exposed to it over time it can actually change the lining of its epithelium to something called Barrett’s Oesophagus which is pre-cancerous and can turn into caner later on.”
According to Cancer Research UK, Barrett’s oesophagus means that some cells in the lining of your food pipe have started to change. In a small number of people these cells may develop into oesophageal cancer over a long period of time.
Barrett’s oesophagus is more common in men than women. It is also more common in older people. Other risk factors include having a history of acid reflux symptoms and being overweight and your fat being mainly around your waist.
On the NHS website, heartburn is described as a burning feeling in the chest, which is caused by stomach acid travelling up towards the throat (acid reflux).
Most times, there can be no single or obvious reason you suffer with the problem as there are a number of triggers (some of which can be present alongside others).
Common causes include certain food and drink – such as fatty or spicy foods – as well as smoking. Different health factors can also increase the chances of heartburn such as pregnancy, obesity and heightened stress/anxiety.
One-off home remedies are aplenty for quick relief, Healthline reports. One of the common quick fixes includes a teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in water but this is not a long-term solution.
The NHS website advises that you should speak to a pharmacist for advice if you keep getting heartburn. They should be able to recommend medication that will help – usually antacids or alginates.
